Condiment dispenser



Nov. 18, 1947. R. T. KILLA CDNDIMEN T DISPENSER Filed Nov, 27, 1945 .II'IIII'I'IIII' llrllllnllllllllll INVENTOR. PAW/0ND fl/L A BY A ATTORNE 4 .I/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.

Patented Nov. 18, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONDIMENT DISPENSER Raymond T. Killa, Thiensviile, W is.

Application November 27, 1945, Serial No. 631,066

6 Claims. 1

My invention relates to condiment dispensers and more particularly to a twin salt and pepper shaker such as is commonly employed in homes and restaurants.

The invention seeks among other object-s to provide a device that is in reality a combined receptacle for two separate and distinct condiments.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device that will dispense but one of the two condiments at one time.

A still further object of my invention is to provide such a device that may be operated with ease, will not tip readily and is provided with a contour that enables it to be conveniently grasped by the user.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described that may be readily filled and cleaned, one that will keep the dispensing apertures free of corrosion and congestion at all times.

Other and incidental objects not particularly mentioned in the foregoing will be apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device,

Figure 2 is a, fragmentary perspective view of the inner valve arrangement of one of the cap members,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the valve arrangement in an open position inside of the cap showing the dispensing apertures exposed,

Figure 4 is a similar view as that shown in Figure 3 in which the dispensing apertures are closed by the semi-circular valve disc,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the device taken at the line 5-5 of Figure 6,

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken at the line 6-45 in Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the device illustrating the manner in which the valve discs function, opening the apertures in the lower cap while the apertures in the upper cap are closed, and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cap arrangement fitted to one of the spouts of the device and constructed in a manner to permit the cap engaging a bead forming an integral part of and extending outward from the surface of the spout.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same the character H1 illustrates a body or receptacle wide at its extreme base Hand terminating into two oppositely disposed elongated spouts l2 and 12'. The receptacle H1 is separated on the inside by an angularly disposed partition l3 extending from the bottom of the receptacle to the dividing point I4 at its top.

The design and contour illustrated lends itself very readily to the article, for it provides a substantially firm base and a convenient shape to permit its being manipulated easily. However I do not wish to confine myself to the specific structure described and illustrated for many modifications may be made in the shape of the device without departing from the scope of the invention.

Both spouts I2 and 12 being open at their upper ends are provided with caps l5. These caps may be constructed of molded plastic material or of metal. They are shown arranged to fit snugly over the outer face of the spouts l2 and I2. In Figure 8 is shown a modified form in which the spout I2 is provided with an outwardly extending bead l6 and the cap I5 is provided with a groove arrangement I! to engage and fit over the bead l6.

Obviously the caps 15 shown in the iilustration of square design may be made any shape depending on the shape of the spout l2 and I2. Centrally disposed in the face of the cap I5 is a pin l8 acting as a bearing for a semi-circular valve disc [9 provided with a weighted portion 2i! as shown, The pin it is longer than the thickness of the disc [9 thereby allowing the disc !9 to move freely toward and away from the inside surface of the cap l5. Immediately around the pin is and in semi-radial alignment thereto are shown a plurality of perforations or apertures 2! in the face of the cap l5. These perforations are for the purpose of permitting the condiment within the body It! to be forced out by the conventional shaking method. The weighted portions 29 being heavier than the semi-circular valve disc portion 19 act as a pendulum and will always be suspended toward the bottom of the cap when the device is tilted, and as the perforations 2! are disposed toward the lower part of the cap face when the device is set upright on its base II, it will be manifest that when the device is tilted as is shown in F gure 7 the lower spout !2 will have the weighted portion 26 of the disc l9 downward thereby permitting the perforations 2| in the cap 15 on the spout I2 to be open while the perforations 2! in the cap I5 on the spout l2 at the top will be closed. This procedure permits condiments from the lower spout onlyto be expelled.

The disc l9 being permitted to revolve freely on the pin l8 and also being permitted to move forward and backward on said pin, will have a tendency to keep the inner face of the cap l5 clean and free from corrosion or congested particles of the contents, thereby permitting only the normal free particles from working their way o h the perforations 2 I.

In the event that the device would be tilted entirely the valve discs weighted as they are would 5 cause all perforations to be closed.

The caps 15 being made removable permit fille ptacle through the oppositely disposed spouts. However if desired the caps 15 may be p rm nent y attached, in which case separate p gs provided with closing means not shown,

y be built into the base of the device for filling Purpose.

The p rations 2| arranged in only one-half of the face of the cap [5 allow sufficient space the construction and relativearrangement of 29 parts embraced in the preferred embodiment 015/" my invention in order to impart a full, 11 3: exact imderstanding f the said fembodiments. I do not desire, however to be understood as conrelative' arranginent of parts, as many changes and modifications may be made such as fall within the pe of the invention as-defined by my appended claims. Having thus-described my invention, what I '30 claim and desire to secure by'L-etters Patent in the United Statesis 1. A device of thejcharacterdescribed comprising in combination;a-receptacle closed at its base, I

said receptacle terminating into two spouts open at their upper ends-said spouts protruding outward from said receptacle in opposite relations to one another, a-par'tition separating said receptacle into two separate compartments, each 'compartment terminating into one of said spouts, cap 40 members disposed for c'ontactwith the open end of said spouts, said cap'members provided with a semi-circular valve discQa pin attached to said cap member providing a bearing for said disc,

spouts, cap members contacting the open end of said spouts, perforations through one-half of the surface of the face of said cap member, a pin attached to said cap member extending inward from said cap, a semi-circular valve disc provided with a weighted portion, said disc mounted onto said pin and permitted to revolve freely thereon and means for attaching said cap onto the open end of said spouts.

4. A device of the character described comprising in combination,-a receptacle closed at its base, said base being of a wider diameter than the body of the receptacle, said receptacle terminating into two oppositely disposed spouts open at their upper ends, a partition separating said receptacle intov separate compartments, each com- ;partment terminating into one of said spouts, cap

members disposed for engagement with the open end of said spouts, said cap members having perforations through one-half of the face of said cap, a pin disposed centrally within said cap and extending inward therefrom, a semi-circular valve disc pivotally mounted onto said pin, said valve disc provided with a weighted portion acting as fimng myself to, the said specific construction and 25 a pendulum, said'weighted portion of greater weight'than the semi-circular disc and said pin being longer than the thickness of said valve disc to permit the sliding of said disc towards and away from the inside of said cap.

5. A device as described in claim 4 in which the wallof said base is provided with openings leading to the inner area of said compartments, and means for closing said openings to retain the condiment within said compartments after filling.

6. A cap to be used in combination with a condiment dispenser, said cap provided with a plurality of perforations radially spaced through one-half of its surface, a semi-circular valve disc rotatably mounted on a pin centrally disposed and extending inward from said cap, said pin of a length greater than the thickness of said valve disc, and a weighted pendulum integrally attached to said disc and disposed outwardly therefrom, causing the disc to be raised away from said disc equipped with aweighted Portion heavier the perforation when the container is tipped.

than the semi-circular portion of said disc, and perforations through a portion of the face of said cap for permitting the contents of said receptacle to be expelled. 1

2. A device as described inlclaim 1 in which the pin is of greater length than the thickness of said valve disc thereby permitting longitudinal movement of said disc on said pin.

3. A device of the character ,described comprising in combination a. receptacle, said recep- 5 tacle opening into two oppositely disposed spouts at its upper end, a partition separating said receptacle into two compartmenta each of said compartments terminating into 'i'o'ne of said RAYMOND T. KILL-A.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEEZTS 5 Number Name Date 2,358,723 McFarlane Sept. 19, 1944 855,278 Buckland May 29, 1907 1,362,442 Schneider Dec. 14, 1920 1,533,582 Bernardi Apr. 14, 1925 

